Draft appliance.



A. GERLING. DRAFT APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6, 1907. RBIIBWEVD MAR. 27, 1908. 901,701. Patented 0013.20, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

WITNESSES A TTOR/VE VS F. A. GERLING.

DRAFT APPLIANCE. APPLICATION IILED MAR. e, 1907. RENEWED MAR. 27, 1908.

901,701. Patented 0013.20, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

are-s r AVAILABLE copy UNITED STATES PATEN T rnnn a. char-rm, or Ponrnaitn i-ZL f DRAFT APPLIKN T all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that 1, Fame A. Gnanrxe, acitizen of the United States, residing at Portland. in the county of )iuitnomah and State of Oregon, have. invented a new and useful Draft Appliance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft appliances for use in connection with traction engines in hauling harvesting or other machines or for operating plows and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a draft appliance in which the point of application of the load may be adjusted in accordance with conditions, and the draft point changed so thatthe power of the engine may be utilized to the best advantage on different grades.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draft appliance which may be readily shifted vertically of the machine. and which will automatically engage the frame of the machine and become locked thereto with a degree of force proportionate to the weight of the load.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draft appliance in which the traction or propelling power will increase as the resistance increases; for instance. in plowing when the longitudinal pull on the draft appliance is partly upward. the plow will tend to hold the traction wheels down against the ground thus materially increasing the traction force.

A still further object. of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description; it being understood that various changes-n1 form proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a draft appliance constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the for Specification of Letters Patent. 'siaaedeaizb;1 0s Application filed March a, 1907, Serial No. 360,855. Renewed March 27, was; scan Nd. 423,596,.

ward connecting bar of the draft framed Fig. 4- is a detail perspective view of one of the sliding sections or gripping blocks de tached. 1

Similar numerals of reference indicate;

- be shifted: laterally; i '21.

BEST AVAlLABLE COPY (iii "i f OI ailnold nan' 'cgrre draft animals are generally used and'in the drawings there is shown atraction engine of the ordinaryconstruction in which zi-desd ignates thev frame of the vehicle and G-thetraction wheels. i

Depending from the opposite sides of the vehicle frame and-=bolted or.otlierwise" rigidly secured thereto. are'dep'ending guide bars 7 having. their lowerendsisecured:in'any suitable manner to diagonsfihbrace's 8which. extend longitudinally 'of'the fram'e .5 and are rigidly secured thereto,- asqindieatedmt 9.= The depending bars .7 which are preferably. in the form of I-beams. areslightly inclined towards the forward end of the machine, as shown, and serve as guides for suitable gripping blocks 10, the latter =being-operatively connected with a tractionframe;indicatedas a whole at 11. Thetraction fralme. 11 is. preferably rectangular in shape-and formed of strong metallic tubes suitably connected: by corner couplings I2 and reiuforccdf lrc diagonal ln'aces 13'which are connected with the center of the fra-nieby a cross coupling. it. The trausv-erse'dmr:15 forming tlie'-'-for-.- ward end of the traction frame is extended laterally beyond the adjacentvcouplings. and piVotall mounted at-16v to the gripping blocks 10. The rear tube orbar=17 of. the traction frame is arranged to receivea two 4 part clevis hitch 18 which may" beadjustcd in the direction of the length of the tuhea nd locked in place 'by a suitable pin-li that maybe'passed through-any one of a'nuinher of openings 20. formed: in said-tube, The clevis hitch is-provided with a shank 21 for connection-'to tlre: plow son other hiagh chine to be operated =a11cl-':by-iadjustinentof r i the clevis and adjustment of the point; of?

connectionbetween t-he i'nachine and the;ba'.r

l T .the point ofaa-pplieiatiow qf the load: inav macr As a 'nrea-irs 'forraisin' d ",lowering the t'orwardend ofitheodraft rame ll there is v provided-a" hand {operated dever :22 secured to a traiisversefil shaft 23i=jpurnal l Gil -1N gripping mounted a yoke 27,

.tion frame, a couplin minal crank arms 24 which are connected through the medium of links 25 to the laterally extending pivots or lugs 25 of the blocks 10 whereby said blocks may be adjusted vertically of the frame thereby to vary the angle or inclination of the traction frame.

The couplings 12 atthe rear end of the traction frame are provided with verticallv disposed ears 26 between which is piX'Otfllli the latter being conarm 28 of an operating mounted on the frame of nected with the crank lever 29 pivotally the vehicle and similar in construction to the operating lever 22.

It will thus be seen'that by operating the lever 29 the clevis 18 may be raised or lowered so as to change the points of application of the load while by operating the lever 22 the inclination of the traction frame may be varied atwill so as to throw the weight on any particular portion of the vehicle and thus increase or decrease its traction vforce.

The diagonal braces 8 are preferably reinforced and strengthened by substantially vertically disposed braces 30 having their opposite ends connected with the braces 8 and frame 5, respectively. Itwill thus be seen that when the traction frame is at-- tached to .the load and the vehicle started the blocks 10 will grip the guide bars 7 and assist in looking said bars in adjusted position. the gripping force being proportioned to the resistance offered. It will also be noted that by manipulating the levers 22 and 29 the opposite ends .of the traction frame 10 ma Y be raised or lowered either simultaneously or independently of each other and that the traction frame may be supportedat any angle or inclination with respect to the bed of the vehicle. Q

From the foregoing description it is thought that the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood by those skilled in the artand further description thereof is'deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In draft mechanism, a vehicle, a traction frame, means'operatively connected with th e-opposite ends of the traction frame for .ralsing and lowering the same thereby to 4 change the point of application of the load,

and a coupling device carried by and adjustable transversely of the frame.

2. In draft mechanism, a vehicle, a traction frame, a coupling device carried by and adjustable transversely of the traction frame, and means operatively connected with the opposite ends of the frame for raising and lowering the same thereby to change the point of application of the load.

3. In draft mechanism, a vehicle, a tracdevice adj ustable laterally of the frame, evers operatively connccted with the opposite ends of saidframe forvraising or lowering either end thereof, and means for locking the coupling device in adjusted position.

4. In draftmechanism, a vehicle, a traction frame. levers mounted on the vehicle, links formin, apivotal connect-ion between the levers will the traction frame thereby to tilt the latter-at any angle with respect to the vehicle, and a coupling device secured to and adj nslabletra-nsversely of the frame.

In draft mechanism, a vehicle, a tract-ion frame, levers mounted on the vehicle for independently raising and lowering the opposite ends of the frame,- links forming a pivotal connection between the levers and the traction frame, and a coupling device.secured to and adjustable transversely of one end of the frame.

6. In draft mechanism, a vehicle,.guides depending-from the vehicle, a traction device slidably mounted" on the guides, an operating lever, links forming a pivotal con nection between the operating lever and one vend of the traction frame, and means for means for raising and lowering the rear end of the traction frame.

8. In draft mechanism, a vehicle, guide bars depending from the'vehicle, gripping blocks slidably mounted on the guide bars and provided with laterally extending trunnions, a traction frame pivotally connected with the gripping blocks, an operating lever carried by the vehicle, links forming a pivotal connection between the operating lever and the trunnions of the gripping blocks, and means for raising and lowering the rear end of the traction frame.

9.,In draft mechanism, a vehicle, a shaft extending transversely of the vehicle and provided with terminal crank arms, a traction frame, links forming a pivotal connection between the crank arms and one end of the traction frame, a lever for rocking the shaft thereby to raise and lower the forward end of the traction frame, and means for raising and lowering the opposite end of said ame.

.10.- In draft mechanism, a vehicle, depending guides secured to the vehicle, gripping blocks slidably mounted on the guides, an operating lever, links forming a pivotal connection between the gripping blocks and lever, a yoke pivotally secured to the rear end of the traction frame, and a lever opei atively connected with the yoke for raising and lowering the adjacent end of said frame,

thereby to change the point of application of the load. i

11. In draft mechanism, a vehicle, a substantially rectangular traction frame' consisting of transverse and longitudinal bars, reinforced by diagonal braces, a clevis adjustable laterally of the frame on the rear bar thereof, an operating lever operatively connected with the forward end of the trac-t tion frame for-raising and loweringthe same, and .means-for raising and lowering the rear end of said frame. I.

12. In draft mechanism, a vehicle, guide bars depending from the vehicle and terminating in diagonal braces for attachment to the vehicle frame, gripping blocks slidably mounted on the guide bars'and provided with laterally extending trunnions, a traction frame pivotally connected with the gripping blocks, an operating lever, links forming a pivotal connection between the operating lever and trunnions for raising 'and lowering one end of the traction frame,

- FRED A. GERLING,

Witnesses: J O. BECK,

F. C. Hononnn. 

